Once in a while, I get to take a photo that perfectly captures the spirit, soul, and aspirations of Bedlam Farm. I am by no means a perfect person, as people online point out to me almost daily, but Maria and I see Bedlam Farm as a place of good and promise.

Nature is a huge part of our lives, so are animals, especially dogs, donkeys, and for now, the two chicks Maria has adopted and are now among the luckiest chicks on the planet.

Every day, Maria takes the chicks – Annie and Kitty – and brings them out to get some sunshine, to get to know the other chickens, and pick bugs on grass, and get the dogs used to seeing them, and hand-feed them bits of bread, beans, mealworms, and lately, dandelions.

She is determined that these chicks will not fear us or run from us, although I have warned her that she might regret that. As the chicks have grown, so have their crates, their perching stools, their chick sticks, their water bowls, and feeders.

They want for nothing. They sleep under heat lamps on cold nights, are awakened by song, touched, and stroked. In three or four weeks, they will be moved to the roost.

So far, our resident hens have ignored them.

I was on the way to fill up the sheep and donkeys’ water tank – it’s getting warm and watering my fledgling Zinnia plants – when I looked over my left shoulder and saw Maria laughing with delight and offering flying dandelion seeds through the crate walls.

In the background, all three dogs sat quietly, watching carefully, wondering perhaps if there might be anything for them to eat, too. And smiling at the sight, they are happy dogs.

Behind them sat the clothesline, waving softly in the wind.

Maria is the soul of Bedlam Farm, sometimes we both are, but mostly now, it’s her. She is so full of spirit, love of life, and joy that this is what the farm reflects and means these days. I could not be happier; it is everything I wanted and hoped for.

Maria’s enthusiasm and wonder for the world and the trees and creatures here fills the farm with bright light and shines on everything here. There is always love and laughter here.

Out there, politicians and ideologues war and scheme, but there is a sense of innocence and love in here. Maria is the center of all that, her spirit glow, in her artist studio and outside of it.

We both share a lust for life and a passion for living it consciously.

We didn’t go out much during the pandemic, but everything we wanted was right here, all around us. That’s the beauty of a farm; it is a world of its own.

We are a peaceable kingdom and a loving one. This is what I dreamed of. This is what I wanted. This is what I have.